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Did God HIMSELF CHANGE When GOD CHANGED
In other words, did God change His MIND when he changed his laws?
To say this another way, we read in the Bible where Almighty God at the beginning first commanded His people Israel to be circumcised in their flesh in the OLD Testament, under the OLD covenant.
But NOW in the NEW Testament, under a NEW COVENANT, Almighty God has CHANGED the law of circumcision in the FLESH and circumcision in the flesh is NO LONGER REQUIRED.
The covenant or law of circumcision was NOT abolished!
However, the WAY in which we NOW KEEP the law of circumcision has now CHANGED.
And this is WHY the Apostles of Jesus taught AGAINST the keeping of the law of circumcision in the FLESH in the New Testament.
It is clearly and plainly taught in the New Testament under the NEW Covenant that if a believer seeks to be saved by being circumcised in the FLESH, then they have FALLEN from GRACE and the ATONEMENT of Jesus profits them NOTHING.
So then, did GOD CHANGE his MIND just because God CHANGED the law?
The answer is quite simple, NO! Almighty God HIMSELF did not change.
Nor did God change His MIND. Just because the law of God CHANGED in the WAY things are to be done in the NEW Covenant does not mean that God, Himself, changed or that God changed His mind.
The TRUTH of the matter is all that has happened is that God has FULFILLED what He has ALREADY spoken in His word.
In other words, this was God’s PLAN all along. So then, let us begin this study in God’s word to see that the law of God did indeed CHANGE from what was written in the Old Testament under the OLD Covenant to what is now written in the NEW TESTAMENT under the NEW COVENANT.
Please read Galatians 5:1-14, which clearly and plainly teaches us that the law of God concerning being circumcised in the flesh has been ABOLISHED and FULFILLED through our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.
Galatians 5:1-14.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be NOT entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4. Christ has become of NO effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace.
5. For we, through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love.
7. You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the TRUTH?
8. This persuasion comes NOT of him that calls you.
9. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
10. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, WHY do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased? (In other words, Paul was being persecuted because he was preaching against being circumcised in the FLESH as being part of a believers FAITH to be justified before Almighty God because Jesus both fulfilled and abolish circumcision in the FLESH by his death on the cross)
12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
13. For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14. For ALL the law is FULFILLED (Or every jot and tittle of the law is KEPT in a NEW WAY. For you see,) in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
It is made perfectly clear in the word of God that Almighty God did, in fact, CHANGE the LAW.
But just because the law of God changed, does this also mean that Almighty God himself CHANGED?
We will answer this question in this study of God's word and will without a doubt get many of you to think outside the box of the RELIGIOUS definition of God.
One of the reasons that I am writing this study is because just recently I became aware of the teachings of the Hebrew Roots Movement and the 119 Ministries, who teach that Christians must obey ALL the LAW of God, meaning that they are FALSELY teaching Christians that they must obey EVERY jot and tittle of the law of God contained in some 613 carnal ordinances that are written in the Old Testament.
And one of their arguments, that they use, is based on the verses of scripture that say that God does NOT CHANGE.
So, therefore, the Old Testament is still in FORCE today for Christians just the same as it was for the children of Israel under the old covenant.
So then, let us take a closer look at the verses that SEEM to be saying that Almighty God never CHANGES, which the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement INTERPRET to mean that God never does anything DIFFERENT than what he has done in the past.
In other words, the 119 Ministries INTERPRET these passages of scripture to mean that whatever God has said in the OLD Testament is STILL valid or in force today, which includes keeping ALL the law that was written to God's people Israel.
I have also found that the 119 Ministries rely very heavily on Matthew 5:17-19 where Jesus tells us that he has not come to DESTROY or to ABOLISH the LAW but to FULFILL the law and the prophets.
We will take a closer look at this verse in a moment, but first, let me just quote all the verses that SEEM to be saying that God never changes. And then we will look at how these verses are taken OUT of their CONTEXT to change their TRUE meaning.
Malachi 3:4.
“For I am the LORD, I CHANGE NOT;”
James 1:17.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is NO variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Numbers 23:19.
“God is not a man, that he should LIE; neither the son of man, that he should REPENT: has he said, and shall he not do it? Or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Psalm 15:4.
“In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honors them that fear the LORD. He that swears to his own hurt, and CHANGES NOT.”
Hebrews 13:8.
“Jesus Christ the SAME yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Hebrews 6:17.
“Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the IMMUTABILITY of his COUNSEL, confirmed it by an oath:”
Psalm 33:11.
“The COUNSEL of the LORD stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.”
Psalm 119:89b.
“...Forever, O LORD, your word is settled in heaven.”
So then, from the above verses, the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement teach that ALL the LAW of God contained in some 613 carnal ordinances written in the OLD Testament to God's people Israel still remains in FORCE for Christians today, as in, EVERY JOT and TITTLE of the LAW and COMMANDMENTS of Almighty God written in the Old Testament are to be KEPT to the letter because Jesus himself said that he has NOT come to DESTROY the LAW but to FULFILL the LAW and the prophets. Let us read Matthew 5:17-19 and see what this passage of scripture is truly teaching us.
Matthew 6:17-19.
“Think NOT that I am come to DESTROY the LAW, or the prophets: I am NOT come to DESTROY, but to FULFILL.
18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in NO wise pass from the law, till ALL be fulfilled.
19. Whosoever, therefore, shall break ONE of these LEAST commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the LEAST in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven.”
The word translated as “DESTROY” here comes from the Greek word “KATALYO”, which means throw down, to abolish, to destroy. HOWEVER, this Greek word “KATALYO” ALSO means to destroy UTTERLY, to overthrow COMPLETELY. In other words, this Greek word that is translated as “DESTROY” in the King James Version and as “ABOLISH” in the New International Version carries with it the meaning that Jesus did not come to COMPLETELY ABOLISH the law or to UTTERLY and COMPLETELY overthrow the law.
So then Matthew 5:17,18 should have been translated as;
“Think not that I am come to UTTERLY DESTROY or to COMPLETELY ABOLISH the law, OR the prophets: I am not come to UTTERLY or COMPLETELY DESTROY, but to FULFILL.
18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all (Or until IT) be FULFILLED.”
Now some of you may argue that I am changing God's word to make it say what I want it to say. But in TRUTH I am just pointing out to you, the reader, the seeker of the TRUTH, that in the original language these Greek words sometimes have many different meanings and the English translation that we read is just that, a TRANSLATION.
In other words, this verse could have just as easily been translated as UTTERLY destroy or COMPLETELY abolish, which would then AGREE with the rest of God's word without trying to manipulate, twist or change many other CLEAR, PLAIN and SIMPLE passages of scripture to get them to agree with your OWN private personal translation of Matthew 5:17,18. Let me explain what I mean by this.
Please keep in mind that Galatians 3:19 teaches us that the LAW was ADDED because of transgression UNTIL the PROMISE of the MESSIAH be FULFILLED, which teaches us that some CHANGES in the LAW were without fail and indeed made AT the FIRST coming of Jesus, at his DEATH and resurrection. In other words, Jesus did indeed ABOLISH SOME of the LAW of GOD written in the OLD TESTAMENT. One part of the LAW of GOD that was INDEED ABOLISHED and FULFILLED at the SAME time was the OFFERING of SACRIFICES for sins, which no true born again believer denies. So then, without a doubt, this is one jot and tittle of the law that has INDEED been both ABOLISHED and FULFILLED at the cross of Jesus.
Please remember that the 119 Ministries teach that Christians must keep ALL the LAW of God BECAUSE not ONE JOT or TITTLE of the law shall pass away until ALL is FULFILLED. So why then do they backpedal, so to speak, and make excuses concerning the law of God in the area of offering sacrifices for sins? If ALL truly means ALL, then there should be no excuses for not KEEPING ALL the law and therefore they should also teach that Christians must obey ALL the law if they TRULY LOVE God and offer animal sacrifices in order to be forgiven of their sins. How foolish would this be to even think that Christian, under the NEW TESTAMENT, must obey the law of God under the OLD covenant to continue to offer animal sacrifices?
The TRUTH of the matter is that the law of God pertaining to animal sacrifices has INDEED been both ABOLISHED and FULFILLED by Jesus at the cross. But there were OTHER parts of the OLD covenant law of God that have been ABOLISHED and FULFILLED as well by the cross of Jesus. But some Christians in the early church, who were still yet learning, were being DECEIVED to keep the OLD covenant laws for FEAR of the JEWS.
Here is Galatians 3:19, which teaches us that the law was temporarily added for the reason of transgressions UNTIL the PROMISE of the coming MESSIAH be FULFILLED. This verse also teaches us that there is a DIFFERENCE between the law of God, as in, the COMMANDMENTS of God, which some call the MORAL law of God that teaches us what is right from what is wrong, and the CEREMONIAL law of God, which was ADDED because God's people transgressed or broke the MORAL law, the COMMANDMENTS of God. So then, when the word “LAW” is used in the Bible we must judge from the CONTEXT to WHICH law the word “LAW” is referring to in that particular passage of Scripture.
Galatians 3:19.
“Wherefore (Or for what REASON) then SERVE the LAW (The ceremonial law and NOT the COMMANDMENTS of God)? It was ADDED because of transgressions, TILL the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”
The MORAL law began when Adam and Eve ate from the tree of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL. That was when God gave mankind a moral CONSCIENCE. The “CEREMONIAL law contained in ORDINANCES was ADDED TO the already existing MORAL law of our God-given CONSCIENCE UNTIL the Messiah came. So then, it is made clear to us that some part or some aspect of the law CHANGES in some way at the death and resurrection of Jesus, otherwise Jesus died in VAIN. In other words, Jesus did not come to COMPLETELY abolish the WHOLE LAW or to UTTERLY and completely destroy ALL the law. But rather Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies written in the Old Testament that were speaking of him as being the Messiah. So then, the TRUTH of the matter is that some part of the LAW was INDEED ABOLISHED at the CROSS of Jesus, when Jesus FULFILLED what Almighty God had ALREADY spoken in his word, through the prophets in the Old Testament.
Again, it was the old WAY of keeping the law contained in ORDINANCES that was abolished. We as Christians ARE KEEPING the TRUE intended BODY of the law contained in ordinances BY our FAITH and REST in Jesus as our Messiah. I will explain this more in-depth throughout this study in God’s word.
One thing we can all agree on is that the REASON that Jesus came was to FULFILL the law AND the PROPHETS. In other words, Jesus spoke of his coming was to FULFILL not ONLY the LAW but ALSO that he came to FULFILL the PROPHETS. In other words, Jesus is talking about HIMSELF being PROPHESIED through the different rituals or ceremonies of the LAW as being TYPES and SHADOWS of his COMING as well as being spoken of by the prophets that God would raise up a SAVIOR among the people to save them from their SINS. Remember Jesus told the Jews that they sought eternal life in the scriptures and the scriptures spoke of HIM. Jesus was trying to get the Jews to see that he was that man that the SCRIPTURES themselves foretold that would come to be the savior. Jesus said if you do not believe that I am HE, then you shall remain dead in your sins.
Please read John 8:24,25 which says,
“I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe NOT that I am he, (Meaning that if you do not believe that I am the ONE that was PROPHESIED in the scriptures as the CHRIST, the coming MESSIAH) you shall die in your sins.
25. Then said they unto him, WHO are YOU? And Jesus said unto them, Even the SAME that I said unto you from the BEGINNING.”
Now let us go back to the very BEGINNING when Jesus first revealed to the Jews WHO he was. Please read Luke 4:14-21, which is right after Jesus returned from the wilderness being tempted of the devil after he was baptized by John the Baptist.
Luke 4:14-21.
“And Jesus returned (From the wilderness being tempted of the devil for 40 days) in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
15. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.
16. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, (Please notice that God did NOT change his MIND. But rather it was WRITTEN that there would one day come a Messiah, an ANOINTED one of God to deliver his people. This was God’s PLAN all along. The law of Moses was ADDED UNTIL his Messiah came.)
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has ANOINTED ME to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent ME to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21. And he began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture FULFILLED in your ears.”
In other words, I am he, the ONE that was PROPHESIED to be the MESSIAH, the ANOINTED one, with the POWER of the Spirit of Almighty God. I am he that was sent by God. You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus the CHRIST, this was the whole point of the Old Testament to foretell of the coming Messiah. The LAW was just ADDED to KEEP God's people, Israel, UNTIL the promise of the Messiah's coming to be FULFILLED. They would obey the ceremonial law when they disobeyed the COMMANDMENTS of God so that their sins would be covered UNTIL Jesus came to die once and for all time for the sins of the whole world.
The written word of God or Almighty God himself tells us in his word that the name of Jesus is the ONLY name under heaven that is given among mankind whereby we MUST be SAVED. It does NOT say that we must keep the law of Moses contained in ordinances in order to be saved and receive eternal life. The truth of the matter is that those under the Law of Moses were NOT SAVED by the Law of Moses. This is why Jesus went into the heart of the earth to PREACH the gospel to the SPIRITS of the DEAD saints in the Old Testament. It was so that they could be SAVED by the name of JESUS the same as those who are alive UNDER the NEW TESTAMENT. Please read the study called “WHAT AND WHERE IS PARADISE?” for all the scriptures that support what I just said.
Therefore, when Jesus FULFILLED part of the law and part of the prophecies at his first coming, he ALSO ABOLISHED that part of the law and the prophets as well, because they NO LONGER serve the what God gave for the purpose to lead them to Jesus. Again, it is NOT that God himself CHANGED or that God changed his MIND. You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, the prophets ALSO foretold that God was going to establish a NEW COVENANT with his people Israel, which Almighty God did indeed INITIATE with his Son Jesus. In other words, God FULFILLED his part of this NEW COVENANT. BUT then, when Israel REJECTED his Son Jesus as being their MESSIAH, then they themselves rejected this NEW covenant that God desired to make with them as well.
So then, as ALSO already spoken in God's word and prophesied in the Old Testament, Almighty God then TURNED to a people who were NOT a people of God in order to provoke his people, Israel, to jealousy. Now, this does not mean that God has abandoned his people Israel, but it does mean that UNTIL the second coming of Jesus, the only way for the Jews to come to Almighty God the Father is through his Son Jesus, the ONLY name under heaven whereby mankind MUST be saved. Again, this SECOND coming of Jesus was ALSO prophesied in the Old Testament in Isaiah 11:11.
Isaiah 11:11.
“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the SECOND TIME to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.”
So then, we do indeed see a lot of CHANGES in the way God is dealing with not only his chosen people Israel but also the rest of mankind, the GENTILES, who once were NOT under the LAW contained in ORDINANCES but rather were under the law of their CONSCIENCE. But in reality, these changes are NOT really and truly changes in that Almighty God himself, nor has God changed his mind, but rather these changes in the way God is doing things is the FULFILLMENT of his written word spoken by the prophets in the Old Testament. So when you go back and read all those verses that teach us that God changes NOT you will see that they are speaking of Almighty God remaining FAITHFUL to what he has spoken in his word. Where his word means ALL his word and not just verses cherry-picked out of context here and there to TRY and prove one's own private interpretation of Matthew 5:17,18.
Now, I do agree with one of the arguments used by the 119 Ministries that ALL has not yet been FULFILLED, meaning that Jesus is coming AGAIN to FULFILL some MORE of the Old Testament scriptures. Namely, that Jesus will come a SECOND TIME to the children of Israel to save a REMNANT who will BELIEVE that he is indeed their MESSIAH.
However, I do NOT agree with the wrong CONCLUSION that they drew which is to FALSELY teach that ALL the LAW written in the Old Testament contained in ordinances is still in FORCE. And, therefore, based upon their error of interpretation, Christians must KEEP all the law of Moses to be saved. For you see, according to their INCORRECT interpretations of God’s word, not ONE jot or tittle shall pass away until ALL has been FULFILLED. The word translated as “ALL” here in Matthew 5:17,18 does not mean “ALL” in this particular case. For you see, we KNOW for certain that SOME of the law was indeed ABOLISHED and FULFILLED at the CROSS of Jesus. Otherwise, Jesus died in VAIN and we are still in our sins and must continue to offer animal sacrifices if we want our sins to be covered until the real Messiah comes. How foolish does that sound to a true born again Christian? Of course, Jesus did NOT die in vain. Jesus is the prophesied MESSIAH.
But the 119 Ministries dogmatically demands that until heaven and earth pass away not ONE single jot or tittle of the law shall be ABOLISHED until ALL be fulfilled.
Please remember that the word “ALL” can also refer to a specific prophecy. In other words, until IT be fulfilled. To say this another way, AFTER the PROPHECY of heaven and earth is FULFILLED then there will no longer be a need for a Messiah to save people because ALL who will be saved shall BE SAVED. The law contained in ordinances was added UNTIL the Messiah came. There are TWO comings of the Messiah. And after ALL, who will believe in the Messiah to be saved all the way to the end of the Millennium their will no longer be a need to save any other person. Then IT will ALL be FULFILLED and heaven and earth shall pass away. And God will create a new heaven and a new earth where all evil will forever be destroyed and never rise again.
Again, remember that Jesus came NOT the “KATALYO” the law, which means that Jesus did NOT come to COMPLETELY ABOLISH the law. And never forget that the word “LAW” is NOT an all-inclusive word meaning every last word written in the Bible. Please remember and never forget that the word “LAW” must be interpreted by the CONTEXT to see if it means the MORAL law, as in, referring to the COMMANDMENTS of Almighty God, OR if it means the ceremonial and ritual law that were observed as SHADOWS of the TRUE which was prophesied to come, speaking of Jesus the MESSIAH.
The TRUTH of the matter is that Jesus FULFILLED different PROPHECIES all through his life during his FIRST coming and that Jesus will FULFILL ALL the prophecies concerning him when he comes again to reign for a 1000 years. In other words, ALL the PROPHETS will be FULFILLED before heaven and earth pass away, but God's WORD shall never pass away. Please note, it is NOT God's LAW that will never pass away, but rather God's WORD shall never pass away because it is quite evident from the WHOLE word of God that SOME of the law of God has indeed been both ABOLISHED and FULFILLED by the cross of Jesus.
Also, I personally do not believe that there will be any need for any law in the NEW heaven and the NEW earth because there will be NO enemy of God, but I do believe that God's WORD shall never pass away.
This brings us to yet another ERROR that is made by the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement. They INCORRECTLY substitute Jesus being called the Word of God to be the WRITTEN WORD of God. And then, INCORRECTLY substitute the WORD of God for being the LAW of God. And then INCORRECTLY substitute the LAW of God for ALL the LAW contained in some 613 carnal ORDINANCES. And then FALSELY conclude that to properly FOLLOW Jesus means they follow and KEEP the WHOLE LAW written in the OLD TESTAMENT contained in these some 613 carnal ordinances, which most Christians clearly see and understand have been ABOLISHED at the cross of Jesus.
In other words, those who are being deceived by the Hebrew Roots Movement and the 119 Ministries do not understand the DIFFERENCE between the COMMANDMENTS of God and the LAW of Moses contained in some 613 ORDINANCES, which was ADDED because of transgressions UNTIL the promise of the MESSIAH was FULFILLED. This is where some Christians, like the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement, get into ERROR, because they FALSELY INTERPRET a verse that only SEEMS to support what they believe and then they FOCUS all their attention on this ONE verse while trying to make all these other clear and plain passages of scripture FIT their own private interpretation.
You see trying to CHANGE the clear meaning of these many other passages of scripture to fit their own private INTERPRETATION of Matthew 5:17,18 is the same as IGNORING these other passages of scripture that CONTRADICT their own personal interpretation of Matthew 5:17.18, which they try to insist means ONE or the OTHER and cannot mean BOTH. Therefore, based upon their incorrect interpretations of God’s word, you must choose between either Jesus came to ABOLISH the law, OR Jesus came to FULFILL the law. For you see, you cannot have it both ways.
Here is a quote from the 119 Ministries website in their article called ABOLISH or FULFILL. The EMPHASIS added in their study is mine so that you will not just skim over their errors that I want you to see so that you don't make the same mistakes.
ABOLISH or FULFILL
Matthew 5:17--‐18
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
So then....What does ''abolish'' bring about? Now....What does ''fulfill'' bring about"? Take note that Jesus came to do one and NOT the other. They cannot mean the same thing.
However, we are informed by church leaders that they DO bring about the same result.
Think about it. According to the American Heritage Dictionary (And NOT according to the true Biblical meaning)''abolish'' means-- ''To do away with; put an end to.'' And yet what are we told ''fulfill'' means? The definition given to us is the same ''To do away with; put an end to".
You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, the ERROR made here by the 119 Ministries is that they have INCORRECTLY interpreted Matthew 5:17,18 as Jesus saying that he came to do ONE or the OTHER. And also, they use the modern-day meaning of the “ENGLISH” word “ABOLISH” from a secular dictionary of modern-day definitions, rather than the original Greek word that was TRANSLATED as ABOLISH in the New International Version.
So then, by their not properly understanding the meaning of the Greek word “KATALYO” that correctly means UTTERLY or COMPLETELY destroy, then they have falsely concluded that there is absolutely no way that Jesus came to do BOTH. However, this is a FALSE or an INCORRECT INTERPRETATION to dogmatically teach that Jesus did NOT come to do BOTH “KATALYO” AND fulfill the law and the prophets, and then dogmatically teach that Jesus came to ONE and NOT the other.
But instead of going back and changing the way they view or understand Matthew 5:17,18, they have gone into even more ERROR by TRYING to CHANGE the meanings of all the other CLEAR, PLAIN, and SIMPLE to understand verses that without a doubt CONTRADICT their OWN PRIVATE INTERPRETATION of Matthew 5:17,18 that it CANNOT be BOTH ways. You see, one false interpretation often leads to another false interpretation, which often leads to yet another false interpretation. A little LEAVEN or false teaching leavens the whole lump. So just stop and think it through for a moment dear children of God. How many passages of scripture are being redefined by the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement to make them fit their own private interpretation of Matthew 5:17,18, which they CLAIM means that Jesus came to do only ONE of the two things in Matthew 5:17,18.
In truth, Jesus came to do BOTH things, which were to FULFILL the law SO THAT or in order that not ONE single jot or tittle was COMPLETELY ABOLISHED from the law contained in some 613 carnal ordinances written in the Old Testament written to the children of Israel.
Can you not see that the TRUTH of the matter is that Jesus did indeed come to do BOTH. Jesus did not come to abolish COMPLETELY the WHOLE law of God but Jesus did come to ABOLISH PART of the law of God AND to also FULFILL part of the prophets at his FIRST coming? And the PART that was FULFILLED was the WAY in which the law of Moses was being KEPT. We, as Christians ARE KEEPING the law of circumcision BY our FAITH in Jesus. Can you not see that the WAY in which we NOW KEEP the law has CHANGED under the NEW Covenant written in the New Testament? There are no more ANIMAL sacrifices for sins. But we still KEEP the law of the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins by our FAITH IN Jesus every time we CONFESS our sins. Jesus FULFILLED the law, speaking of all the ceremonial laws contained in ordinance that are SHADOWS pointing to Jesus.
While we are in Matthew 5:17,18 let us read the context from where it is found and we will discover yet another error of the 119 Ministries who have set themselves in AGREEMENT with the FALSE teaching of once saved always saved. For those of you who may not be familiar will this false doctrine of eternal security it basically incorrectly teaches that once a person accepts Jesus as their savior, then from that moment on, they can never lose their salvation no matter what. For a deeper understanding of why this teaching is not SOUND BIBLICAL teaching please read the study called “DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED?”. But for now let us read Matthew 5:17-20 the way it should be read, according to the literal meaning of the Greek word “KATYLO”.
Matthew 5:17-20.
“Think not that I am come to DESTROY (“KATALYO”, which literally means I am not come to COMPLETELY DESTROY) the law, or the prophets: I am not come to (“KATALY”', which again means that Jesus did not come to COMPLETELY DESTROY the law), but to FULFILL. (How did Jesus FULFILL the law of animal sacrifices? Jesus BECAME the sacrifice for sins. And Jesus FULFILLED ALL the law of Moses contained in ORDINANCE the SAME way. Jesus BECAME our Passover Lamb. So we KEEP the feast of Passover BY our FAITH IN Jesus as our Passover Lamb. Jesus FULFILLED the law of CIRCUMCISION. So we KEEP the law of circumcision BY our FAITH IN Jesus as our sign of being in the NEW COVENANT relationship with Almighty God. Jesus FULFILLED the weekly Sabbath day. So we KEEP the law of REST BY our FAITH IN Jesus as our TRUE SABBATH REST)
18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least COMMANDMENTS, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the LEAST in the kingdom of heaven: (This means that in the world to come the children of Israel and those left alive of the nations after the wrath of God will be called the least in the kingdom of God because they will NOT inherit eternal life at the coming of Jesus.) but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven. (Speaking of ONLY the Christians who believe, trust, and REST in Jesus as their Messiah that are NOT trusting in the law of Moses contained in ordinances to save them.)
20. For I say unto you, That EXCEPT your righteousness shall EXCEED the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in NO case ENTER INTO the kingdom of heaven.”
First of all, please notice that Jesus clearly teaches us that the PART of the law that shall not pass away is speaking of the COMMANDMENT of God and NOT the ceremonial law that was ADDED because of transgressing of the COMMANDMENTS of God UNTIL the MESSIAH should come. Now we are faced with the question as to whether or not the KEEPING of the COMMANDMENTS of God is required of us as Christians as a matter of receiving the END of our SALVATION which is our actually obtaining our promise and reward of ETERNAL LIFE.
So then, NOW the question becomes WHEN do we ACTUALLY receive ETERNAL LIFE and ENTER into the kingdom of heaven? In other words, do we ACTUALLY OBTAIN our crown of ETERNAL LIFE the moment we accept Jesus as our savior and can therefore NEVER LOSE our crown of ETERNAL LIFE as some have FALSELY led some of us to believe?
You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, those who falsely teach that the very moment you accept Jesus as your savior then you are eternally saved and therefore you can never lose your salvation, no matter what, ALSO falsely teach that at the very moment you accept Jesus as your savior you are GIVEN ETERNAL LIFE. Here is a direct quote that is taken from a website that teaches this FALSE doctrine of eternal security or once saved always saved as their reason number four.
4. We have been given eternal life. We already possess eternal life. Therefore we are eternally saved and cannot lose our salvation, otherwise, it would NOT be called ETERNAL life.
The Once Saved Always Saved doctrine uses I John 5:13 to support their viewpoint.
1 John 5:13.
“THESE THINGS have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, AND that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
I also highlighted the word “AND” here to show you, the seeker of the TRUTH, that we are first saved, as in, we are first forgiven of all our PAST sins and placed into a RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with Almighty God and given the PROMISE of ETERNAL LIFE. And THEN, if so be, we CONTINUE to BELIEVE unto the END we shall be saved or accounted worthy to actually RECEIVE our reward of eternal life for remaining to be that good and faithful SERVANT of righteousness. Please notice the phrase before this word “AND” that John is writing to those who ALREADY BELIEVE in Jesus. John is writing to them so that or in order that they will CONTINUE to believe unto the END.
Of course, those who FALSELY teach once saved always saved doctrine only FOCUS on the word HAVE eternal life, but again I want to point out two things in the context that clearly teaches us that we only have the assurance or hope of obtaining eternal life in the world to come, as the joy that is set before us, to encourage us to CONTINUE to believe on the name of the Son of God. First I want you to again notice the word “AND” where John is writing to believers who ALREADY believe in the Son of God, to tell them about the promise of eternal life that is abiding in them. John is encouraging Christians with the PROMISE of eternal life abiding in them so that or in order that they will CONTINUE to believe in the Son of God unto the end. This is what Jesus warned us that only those of us who endure unto the end shall be saved. We are saved to be SERVANTS of RIGHTEOUSNESS. and ONLY AFTER we will be found that good and faithful servant will we be accounted worthy to have the right to eat of the tree of life in the world to come.
Now ask yourself what are the “THESE THINGS” that John wrote unto us in order that we may know that we have eternal life abiding in us or remaining in us? Again keeping this verse of Scripture in context and comparing it with other verses of Scripture we will know the truth, the WHOLE truth, and nothing but the truth. Please back up to verse 3,4 and 5 of this same chapter of 1 John.
1 John 5:3-5.
“For this is the love of God that we KEEP his COMMANDMENTS: and his commandments are NOT grievous. (But the keeping of ALL the law of God contained in some 613 carnal ordinances written to the children of Israel ONLY which NONE of them could keep IS INDEED GRIEVOUS and CONTRARY to us)
4. For whatsoever is born of God OVERCOMES the world; and THIS is the victory that overcomes the world, EVEN our FAITH.
5. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that BELIEVES that Jesus is the Son of God?”
The word “BELIEVES is a CONTINUOUS verb showing a continual FAITH and LOVE of God by KEEPING his COMMANDMENTS. Now if we back up even further we will see the reason why we have this witness or assurance within us that we have everlasting life abiding in us. You see, it is the PROMISE or HOPE of obtaining eternal life that ABIDES or remains alive in us as we continue to BELIEVE in the Son of God and his words. Look at I John 3:8-15 which is one of the things John wrote unto us that we may know that we have eternal life.
1 John 3:8-12.
“He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9. Whosoever is born of God does NOT commit sin; for his seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. IN THIS (Speaking of NOT committing SIN, IN THIS) the children of God are manifest (Or made known), and the children of the devil (are made known by their sinning): whosoever does not righteousness (Or he who breaks the MORAL commandments of God) is not of God neither he that loves not his brother.
10. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, (Speaking of the beginning of the age of GRACE which is when Jesus COMMANDED by the authority of Yahweh himself that all the law is kept by faith in him and walking in LOVE) that we should LOVE one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew him? Because his OWN WORKS were evil and his brother’s righteous.
11. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death unto life BECAUSE we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother ABIDES IN DEATH.
12. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer HAS ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN HIM.”
So you see, as long as we are abiding or RESTING IN Jesus and walking in LOVE, then we KNOW we have eternal life in us, abiding in us. But IF we drawback and get out of abiding and walking in love, then DEATH once again abides in us. For you see, we do not actually receive the wages of sin, which is DEATH, nor do we actually receive the reward of ETERNAL LIFE until we actually die physically, or until Jesus returns, whichever comes first.
If it were true that a believer actually receives eternal life the moment that they repent of their sins, then it must also be equally as true that when a person SINS, then they ACTUALLY RECEIVE at that exact moment that they SIN the wages of sin which are DEATH. But we do not see every person that sins DIE the very moment that they SIN. Nor do we see every person being taken to heaven and given eternal life the moment they accept Jesus as their savior. But rather a sinner in abiding in death until they CONFESS and repent of their sin. And in the same way, a believer is abiding in eternal life so long as they continue to believe and rest in Jesus by obeying his commandment written in the New Testament under the NEW COVENANT. And if we believe we will KEEP the commandments of Almighty God that he himself GAVE to his Son Jesus to give to us who believe we shall receive eternal life in the world to come. The disciples of Jesus did NOT teach us to keep the whole law of Moses contained in some 613 ordinances that were added UNTIL the promise of the Messiah should come. But rather, we are taught in the New Testament to keep the COMMANDMENTS of God which are the MORAL laws that are summed up as being kept BY our walking in LOVE. And a person cannot walk in love WITHOUT first having the Holy Spirit ABIDING IN them. So WITHOUT Jesus, even the perfect righteousness of Jesus is LOST.
Therefore, the determining factor of which one of the two we receive, eternal damnation or eternal life, is based on what is abiding in our hearts at the time we die physically or when Jesus returns. You see, there is no middle ground. Either we are OBEYING God's word and walking in love or we are DISOBEYING God and walking after the flesh.
Jesus said if you abide in me and my words abide in you, you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall MAKE you FREE. So I ask you, from what shall we be made free? The answer to this question is many things. The first thing is that we are set free from the debt of sin in that all our past sins are forgiven and we are placed in a right relationship with Almighty God. And another of the things we are made free from is bondage or the dominion that SIN once had over us, so that we should no longer serve sin, but rather, we have been made free to serve God through righteous works.
And we are able to do this HOW? HOW can we live without sin? The answer is by the law of FAITH. For the word of God says that the just or more specifically those who shall live justly, that is, the justified shall live without sin by FAITH. In other words, Christians who have been made RIGHTEOUS by the blood of Jesus through FAITH shall continue to live this righteous life by the law of FAITH and not their OWN works of righteousness performed in their OWN strength in which there is boasting.
Hebrews 11:6 says,
“But without FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to please him: for he that comes to God must BELIEVE that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Are you DILIGENTLY seeking God? The truth is we only have eternal life ABIDING in us IF SO BE that we OBEY the TRUTH. We must endure unto the END as Jesus said, and then, and ONLY then shall we be saved and obtain eternal life. The word of God clearly teaches that the actual POSSESSING of eternal life does not come UNTIL Jesus returns and the dead in Christ are raised.
1 Timothy 6:19 says,
“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the TIME TO COME that they may LAY HOLD on eternal life.”
Then we read in Titus 1:2,
“IN HOPE of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, PROMISED before the world began.”
And again in Titus 3:7,8 we read,
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the HOPE of eternal life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you AFFIRM CONSTANTLY THAT (Or so that) they which have believed in God might be careful to MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS.”
Now the reason being that we must take heed and be careful to MAINTAIN good works is that without good works, that is to say, without living righteously before God, there will be NO reward of eternal life. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. It is not OUR OWN good works, but rather it is God himself doing the good works that God has commanded us to do these good works or righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit. So OBEY the leading of the Holy Spirit to walk in RIGHTEOUSNESS by walking in LOVE toward one another and you FULFILL ALL the law. The burden of Jesus is LIGHT but the burden of keeping all the Law of Moses contained in ORDINANCES is HEAVY. And those who are caught up in the Hebrew Roots Movement are TRYING to do BOTH. The Hebrew Roots Movement is a complete CONTRADICTION to being a TRUE born-again Christian. They are FALLEN from GRACE. They are NOT RESTING in Jesus to obey JESUS.
1 John 3:21,24-25 says,
“I have not written unto you because you know NOT the truth, but because you KNOW it, and that no lie is of the truth….
24. Let that, therefore, ABIDE in you, which you have heard from the beginning.
25. IF that which you heard from the beginning SHALL REMAIN IN YOU, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the PROMISE he has promised us, even eternal life.”
Jude 21.
“Keep yourselves in the LOVE of God, (And NOT in the keeping of the law of Moses contained in ordinances) looking for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ UNTO eternal life.”
John 4:14.
“But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well SPRINGING UP INTO everlasting life.”
Romans 6:22.
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have fruit unto holiness, and the END everlasting life.”
Galatians 6: 7-9 says,
“BE NOT DECEIVED; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that also shall he reap. For he that sows of the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the Spirit SHALL of the Spirit REAP everlasting life. And let us NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: for IN DUE SEASON we shall reap IF WE FAINT NOT.”
So then, if we are not faithful to sow TO the Spirit we will not reap in the future tense our reward of eternal life.
James 1:12 says it like this,
“Blessed is the man that ENDURES temptation: for when he is tried, he SHALL receive the crown of life, which the Lord has PROMISED to them that LOVE him.”
Jesus said in Revelation 2:10.
“Fear none of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you shall have tribulation ten days; be you FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH, and I WILL give you a CROWN of LIFE.”
That is to say IF SO BE that you are FAITHFUL unto death. Then in Revelation 3:11 Jesus warns us to hold fast so that we do not lose our crown of life.
Revelation 3:11.
“Behold I come quickly: HOLD FAST which you have, that no man TAKE your CROWN.”
Speaking of do not be deceived by FALSE teaching but hold fast to the TRUTH of the gospel so that NO man TAKE your crown of LIFE that is promised to those of you who REMAIN faithful. You see, we will receive eternal life, IF and ONLY IF we are found faithful unto the END, by being obedient to God's word and his Holy Spirit. As you have seen from these verses of Scripture, the word of God clearly teaches that we do not actually possess or obtain eternal life to the point that we can never lose it until Jesus comes again. For you see, it is AT the coming of Jesus that we are found to be those good and faithful servants. It is ONLY then, speaking of the FIRST resurrection which is the resurrection of the RIGHTEOUS dead IN CHRIST that Christians are judged. And ONLY those FAITHFUL believers who are alive and remain unto the COMING of Jesus will be rewarded with eternal life to rule and reign with Jesus over those who do NOT receive eternal life. In other words, it is not until the coming of Jesus that we actually RECEIVE our INCORRUPTIBLE glorified bodies that our SALVATION will be ETERNALLY SECURE and the SECOND death has NO POWER over us from that point on.
Look at Revelation 22:12-15 which says,
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my REWARD IS WITH ME, to give every man ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE. (So then, is YOUR WORK the keeping of the Law of Moses contained in ordinances? OR is you work the keeping of God’s NEW COMMANDMENTS written in the NEW Testament under the NEW COVENANT? For you see, IF your word is keeping the Law of Moses then you are FALLEN from GRACE. So come back to the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ to keep the commandments to Jesus under the NEW COVENANT written in the New Testament)
13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14. Blessed are they that DO (As in, ACTIVELY DOING in the PRESENT TENSE) his commandments (Speaking of Yahweh’s NEW COMMANDMENTS that he put into the mouth of his Son, Jesus to give to his disciples to give to us to give to others), that (Or in order that) THEY (speaking of ONLY those who are DOING or KEEPING the COMMANDMENTS of Almighty God that he himself gave to his SON Jesus under the NEW Covenant written in the New Testament) may have RIGHT to the tree of LIFE and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whore mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.”
I also want to point out that the word “WORK” is in the SINGULAR. There is but just ONE work. And that is to believe or keep the NEW COVENANT. Those who try and keep the OLD Covenant are NOT TRULY trusting in the NEW COVENANT. Their faith is weak as Paul says in Romans chapter 14.
Also, we will be judged by the last WORK we are doing when we die or Jesus comes again. Please read Ezekiel 33:7-20, which clearly teaches us that a righteous person who turns from their righteousness and SINS shall have the wages of sin abiding in them and if they were to die while in that state of sin, then they shall NOT receive eternal life, but rather they shall receive the penalty of DEATH, the second death, which is to be cast into the lake of fire to be destroyed.
Ezekiel 33:7-20.
“So you, O son of man, I have set you a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear the word at my mouth, and WARN them from me.
8. When I (Almighty God) say unto the wicked, O wicked man, you shalt surely DIE; if you do not speak to WARN the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.
9. Nevertheless, if you WARN the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he does not turn from his way, he shall DIE in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.
10. Therefore, O you son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus you speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? (Jesus is the ONLY name under heaven that has been given among men whereby we MUST be saved. The NEW COVENANT is the ONLY way to be saved and receive eternal life in the world to come. Paul WARNED those who first received salvation BY FAITH but then were deceived to be brought under bondage to keep the law of Moses to be saved to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. And we are to WARN the Jews and the Judaized Christians that the ONLY way to receive eternal life is to obey the New Covenant established in the shed blood of Jesus)
11. Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? (Speaking to God’s chosen people to whom he promised to give a NEW COVENANT)
12. Therefore, you son of man, say unto the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall NOT deliver him in the day of his transgression: (Will the PERFECT obedient JEW to the law of Moses be saved under the law of Moses? Are not the Jews transgressing the COMMANDMENTS of God to OBEY His SON, Jesus? I fully realize that this passage of Scripture is speaking to ISRAEL under the old covenant. But it also can clearly apply to Israel REJECTING Jesus as the Messiah and thus their rejecting of God’s NEW COVENANT.) as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; NEITHER shall the RIGHTEOUS be able to LIVE for his righteousness in the day that he SINS.
13. When I shall say to the RIGHTEOUS, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, ALL his righteousness shall NOT be remembered; BUT for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it.
14. Again, when I say unto the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15. If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16. None of his sins that he has committed shall be mentioned unto him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17. Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18. When the righteous TURNS from his righteousness and commits iniquity (Or commits SIN. Iniquity means sin), he shall even die thereby.
19. But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
20. Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O you house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his WAYS.”
So then, consider your self WARNED my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. Do NOT be DECEIVED by the enemy to turn away from righteousness, back to your old life of sin. God only requires you to OBEY his Holy Spirit one step at a time. And when we fall into sin we MUST OBEY the leading of the Holy Spirit to CONFESS and repent of our sins. There is NO OTHER way to be forgiven of our sins.
So YES, we are clearly taught in the NEW Testament to KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of Almighty God. But we are NOT taught to keep ALL the law of God contained in ordinances written in the OLD Testament to God's people Israel. It is only those Christians who WRONGLY INTERPRET the Scriptures and the word “COMMANDMENTS” in the New Testament to always mean the law of Moses. They ERROR in the interpretations when they dogmatically demand that the word “COMMANDMENTS” always means the law of Moses. The New Testament Scriptures speak of NEW “commandments”. And the Old Testament prophesied saying that if we do NOT obey the words that Yahweh prophesied to put in the mouth of his Savior, then we shall be CUT OFF. So to ME, the commandments that we MUST obey are ONLY the commandment written and taught in the NEW Testament under the NEW COVENANT.
My point is this, none of us have actually obtained or received our reward of ETERNAL LIFE, as yet. So then, none of us are actually or literally IN the kingdom of heaven as yet. The Millennium is still yet future. Both of these things of entering into the kingdom of heaven and receiving eternal life in the world to come actually take place AT the second coming of Jesus. So then, to INTERPRET Matthew 5:19 to mean that we, as Christians, do NOT have to KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of Almighty God as a REQUIREMENT to obtain ETERNAL LIFE is in ERROR as well. For you see, based upon FALSELY interpreting this verse to mean that we are ALREADY IN the kingdom of heaven is a deception. and by wrongly believing that deception some claim that we shall only be considered LEAST or GREAT in the kingdom by whether or not we KEEP or do NOT keep the commandments of God.
Let us read Matthew 5:19 again.
“Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the LEAST in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven.”
Now, by taking this verse OUT of its CONTEXT, I can see why some Christians have errored in their interpretation of verse 19. But when we read the CONTEXT in the next verse we can see that the ONLY WAY that our righteous can EXCEED the righteousness of the Pharisees is to obey the NEW COVENANT.
Can you not see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, that if you, like the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement FALSELY teach that a believer in Jesus Christ, that the moment that they accept Jesus as their savior, then they are ALREADY IN the kingdom of heaven is in ERROR. And, therefore, to wrongly teach that NON-seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians are called LEAST in the kingdom of heaven. And ONLY the true seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians are called GREAT in the kingdom of heaven are in ERROR.
ALSO, speaking to those Christians deceived by the false teaching of once saved always saved are in error. They claim that ONCE you have accepted Jesus as your savior, then you can NEVER LOSE your salvation no matter what. And that is to CONTRADICT the whole word of God. They wrongly CLAIM that a Christian can only lose their REWARDS and thus, according to their erroneous interpretation of the Scriptures, those Christians who live in sin will be called LEAST in the kingdom of heaven. Again. please read the entire in-depth study on this highly controversial subject of eternal security or once saved always saved. Again, here is the link to the study called “DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED?”. But for now here is a quote taken from the study that is posted on the 119 Ministries teaching website, which wrongly teaches this false doctrine of once saved always saved.
If we teach that any of God’s law has been abolished and we practice as such then we will be LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven, at best. It is only those who teach all of God’s commandments and practice them that will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. If you teach that God has abolished His Sabbath, for example,(and perhaps really believe that God would abolish the "eternal sign of His covenant") it does NOT matter who you are or what else you did, you will STILL BE SAVED but be least in the Kingdom of Heaven for all eternity. Your eternal rewards are compromised.
Mt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I do not come to destroy, but to fulfill (with meaning).
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all (law and prophets) be fulfilled.
Mt 5:19 Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
We will receive a reward for our works on the Day of Judgment (His return). For some, there will be so little works that they will still be saved but basically have no eternal reward.
Again, this is the very same thing that this FALSE doctrine of eternal security and once saved always saved INCORRECTLY teaches, which is believers ONLY lose their REWARDS and STATUS in the kingdom of God to come, but they themselves will still be saved.
The TRUTH of the matter is that IF you are going to dogmatically teach that NOT ONE JOT or TITTLE of the law of God was ABOLISHED due to Jesus FULFILLING it at his first coming, then you do NOT truly believe that Jesus died for your sins. If you TRULY believe that keeping ALL the law dogmatically means ALL the law of God where NOT EVEN ONE JOT or TITTLE has been ABOLISHED by the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, then you must, therefore, be OBEDIENT to DO ALL the law of God, EVERY JOT and TITTLE of it, because you yourself teach that ALL means ALL and therefore means that NONE of God's law has been ABOLISHED at the first coming of Jesus.
So then, IF you truly believe this, then you must KEEP the law of God that taught the children of Israel to OFFER for themselves animal sacrifices for their sins because you yourself dogmatically teach that ALL means ALL the law and NOT just SOME of the law. Therefore, according to your own mixed-up theology, you must KEEP ALL the law and NOT just SOME of the law. Therefore, by your own teaching, you must offer animal sacrifices in order to have your sins forgiven along with your faith in Jesus Christ.
How ridiculous is even the thought that we, as Christians, must live like the JEWS and offer animal sacrifices for our sins? For those of us who see the TRUTH of the whole word of God, it is just that ridiculous to even think that we must keep ALL the law contained in some 613 ordinances as well. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I do not mean to sound sarcastic or more superior in my understanding of God's word. I am merely trying to get you to take a closer look at the WHOLE word of God and TEST EVERYTHING.
Now, most every true born again Christian AGREES that Almighty God has put in them the desire to DO the will of God. And even more so than just the keeping the commandments of God, as in, the Ten Commandments of God, but also in doing good works of righteousness. So, please keep in mind that the keeping of God's law is NOT what is being rebuked, in this study of God's word, as being in ERROR.
Every true Christian no doubt LOVES God and has the desire that God himself places in us to do what pleases God. Any believer who is truly led by the Holy Spirit knows when they have not done that which pleases God. And all that God requires of us is that we ask for forgiveness of what we have done or did not do and believe the promise in his word that he is faithful to forgive us and then move forward in our walk with the Lord. We are being judged by what we are PRESENTLY DOING or NOT DOING. So then if you are NOT obeying the Holy Spirit, then REPENT and ask God's help to overcome sin and do what he is leading you to do. Then obey the leading of the Holy Spirit one step at a time.
SECTION TWO OF PART TWO.
Another point that I want to bring up that has DECEIVED those in the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement is that they believe that to walk as Jesus walked dogmatically means that we as Christians should live after the manner of the JEWS. The 119 Ministries teaches that IF you are NOT eating a KOSHER diet, then you are not truly FOLLOWING Jesus. The 119 Ministries teaches that IF you, as a Christian, are NOT dressing like a Jew, then you are NOT walking as Jesus walked. The 119 Ministries also goes on to teach that IF a Christian does NOT KEEP the FEAST days and every Sabbath day, then they are NOT truly following the TRUE Jesus. Here is a quote from the same website at 119 Ministries' teachings.
This is what the believer’s walk should be. The same commandments Jesus walked are the same commandments we should walk. We should not walk differently than Jesus Himself.
If you walk differently than Jesus are you really following Him? Many forget that Jesus (His real name
Y'shua) was a Sabbath keeping, kosher eating, Feast observing, and tassel wearing Jew. You do not see many believers following those commandments that Jesus walked. Sometimes it is wise to stop and pause and ask the question WHY? Why do I walk differently than my Savior? Do I follow a "different Jesus?"
1Jn 2:6 He that says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
How did Jesus walk? What was Jesus obedient to? Jesus kept God’s commandments perfectly. He showed
His love for the Father and love for others perfectly in His perfect obedience to God’s law. Are we to not at least strive for the same? Yes, it is true we are unable to walk perfectly as He did and we will fail, but that is what the whole purpose of grace. We are still commanded to walk and follow Him the best that we can with the Spirit leading and supporting us the whole way.
It is because of God’s grace we should want to love God back (1 John 4:19), and Scripture defines loving God back as keeping (all of) His commandments (not just some of them).
The TRUTH of the matter is that Jesus spent more time in his WALK with his God and Father by obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit than he did on eating and dressing. In fact, Jesus spoke against the way the scribes and the Pharisees dressed. The WALK that we are to walk is to walk in RIGHTEOUSNESS. Read the CONTEXT of 1 John 2:6 by reading verse 29. The whole theme of 1 John is walking in LOVE toward one another. There is NO teaching in the New Testament under the NEW Covenant that teaches us to live as a Jew. But there are many verses that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the church gave NO SUCH commandment to live as a Jew or to keep the Law of Moses.
Please read Acts 15:24.
“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, AND keep the law: to whom we gave NO such commandment:”
Now read Matthew 23: 1-9.
“Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3. All, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not.
4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8. But be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brethren.
9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.”
Then Paul goes on to say in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is NOT about what we eat or drink.
Romans 14:17.
“For the kingdom of God is NOT meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Every believer that has gotten OFF the course of the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ has imposed some kind of DRESS code that if this dress code was not strictly followed, then they were NOT truly following the Lord. This is called RELIGION, child of God. The Catholics went astray when they began FOCUSING all their attention on the OLD TESTAMENT LAWS. Soon a PRIESTHOOD was formed and then a division was made between the higher-ranking clergy and lower class congregation. The Catholic priest was to be called father, even though Jesus taught us to call NO man our father upon the earth because Almighty God is our Father. When the Reformation came the Protestants threw off many of the false teachings of Catholicism, but some branches kept the tradition of wearing priestly garments. Even in some more modern movements, like the BISHOP and APOSTOLIC movement DRESS has become an issue. In Catholicism, it is forbidden to eat MEAT on Fridays, which again the forbidding of eating meat is taught against in the New Testament. The Mormons have their sacred undergarments. The Amish forsake all the conveniences of modern-day society declaring them to be unholy and even sinful.
This is NOT what the kingdom of God is about dear children of God. Walking as Jesus walked is about walking in LOVE one toward another. If you love your brother, then you will not steal from him or covet his goods or his wife. Can you not see that ALL the law of God is fulfilled in one word just like the Scripture teaches us? And that one word is to LOVE. We are to do unto others as you would have them to do unto you and to love your neighbor as yourself. The New Covenant is about our FAITH in Jesus, obeying the MORAL laws of God, serving God in RIGHTEOUSNESS, and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The point that I am making is that Jesus did indeed keep the TEN COMMANDMENTS of God. And Jesus being a Jew, no doubt kept the laws and the traditions of God's people, Israel. But please keep in mind that he alone was God's chosen one to do all the will of God so that he would be crucified as an INNOCENT man in order that he could ransom mankind back to God. Please remember that Jesus still yet lived under the OLD COVENANT. So it was expected for everyone to obey all the laws of God contained in ordinances. So then, to deceitfully try and use the argument that if you do NOT live exactly as Jesus lived, then you are NOT following the TRUE Jesus is to grossly mislead God's children.
Upon reading and studying the New Testament I find that it does, in fact, teach us that we are to keep no less than nine of the Ten Commandments in order to obtain ETERNAL LIFE in the world to come. And these nine commandments are NOT grievous to keep, because God has given us his Holy Spirit to EMPOWER us to be GREATER than our enemy who is in the world. God has also given us the PROMISES in his word that by FAITH we can TRUST that God will DO what he said he will DO. Again, I say nine out of the Ten Commandments rather than all ten because I myself do not find in the New Testament where believers are WARNED that if they do NOT worship God on Saturday, then they have sinned. Nor do I find that it is even emphasized or talked about that much. Nor have I ever once been convicted by the Holy Spirit for worshiping God on Sunday. Nor have I ever been led or drawn by the Holy Spirit to start observing the Sabbath of Saturday. But we do see WARNINGS about keeping the other nine commandments.
However, I do find passages of scripture in the NEW Testament like Colossians 2:16,17, which clearly and plainly teaches us that we, as Christians, are NOT to let ourselves be JUDGED for NOT KEEPING the feast days or the Sabbath days.
Colossians 2:16,17.
“Let no man, therefore, judge you in MEAT, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17. Which are a SHADOW of things to come; BUT the body is OF Christ.”
So then, here is a list of things Paul is teaching us as Christians to not let any man JUDGE us:
1. Let no man judge you in MEAT referring to food as in what you EAT.
2. Let no man judge you in DRINK.
3. Let no man judge you in respect of a HOLY DAY referring to a YEARLY high holy Sabbath day.
4. Let no man judge you in respect of the NEW MOON speaking of the MONTHLY Sabbath days or celebrations.
5. Let no man judge you in respect of the SABBATH DAYS speaking of the WEEKLY SABBATH days.
The word “SABBATH” is found 55 times in the King James Bible in the New Testament. Of these 55 times 45 of which are found in the four Gospels, which was still yet UNDER the law of the old covenant, because Jesus had not yet been crucified and risen from the dead. And the remaining 10 times are found in the book of Acts and just this 1 time here in Colossians 2:16. Here is a list of the ONLY nine times the word “SABBATH” is found in the book of the ACTS of the Apostles. And I myself find none of these verses clearly teaching the church to observe the Sabbath day in the way that it was taught in the Law of Moses.
Acts 1:12.
“Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.”
Acts 13:14.
“But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.”
Acts 13:27.
“For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.”
Acts 13:42.
“And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that THESE words might be preached to THEM the next Sabbath.”
Acts 13:44.
“And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to HEAR the WORD of God.”
Acts 15:21.
“For Moses of old time has in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day.”
Acts 16:13.
“And on the Sabbath, we went OUT of the city by a riverside, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spoke unto the women which resorted thither.”
Acts 17:2.
“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days REASONED with them out of the scriptures,”
Acts 18:4.
“And he REASONED in the synagogue every sabbath, and PERSUADED the Jews and the Greeks.”
In none of these passages of scripture do I find where we as Christians are commanded to keep the Sabbath day. The Apostles went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day to preach the gospel to the Jews. In Acts 16:13 we see the disciple going OUT of the city down by a river on the Sabbath day to preach the gospel to a group of women that were gathered together there perhaps to pray. For a deeper understanding on whether or not we as Christians should keep the Sabbath, as in, worshiping God on SATURDAY and opposed to worshiping God on Sunday please read the studies called “SUNDAY WORSHIP VERSES SABBATH KEEPING?”, and “ONLY NINE of the TEN COMMANDMENTS?”. But for now, let us go back to the law pertaining to the CIRCUMCISION in the FLESH being ABOLISH and FULFILLED at the cross of Jesus.
Please read Galatians 6:12-17, which teaches us that Christians in the early church were being compelled to be CIRCUMCISED in the FLESH, so that the Jews who were doing the compelling, would NOT be PERSECUTED by other Jews. Then in verse 14, we read where the Apostle Paul taught us that for a Christian the only Glorying or boasting we should have is in the cross of Jesus.
Galatians 6:12-17.
“As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest (Or for FEAR that) they should suffer PERSECUTION for the cross of Christ.
13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15. For IN Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17.From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”
You see the Jews heavily persecuted Christians both Jew and Gentile for NOT keeping the Law of Moses. And the law of God concerning CIRCUMCISION in the flesh seemed to be the number one thing that the Jews PERSECUTED the church for NOT KEEPING. Paul teaches us in verse 15 that NEITHER being circumcised in the flesh nor NOT being circumcised in the flesh avails anything. The only thing that matters is that you be found to be a BELIEVER IN Jesus Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 7:18,19 Paul teaches us that if an unbeliever in Jesus Christ whether they are Jew or Gentile, who has been circumcised in the flesh and then becomes a BELIEVER in Jesus Christ, for them NOT to become uncircumcised in the flesh. And then goes on to say that anyone who has NOT been CIRCUMCISED in the FLESH who becomes a BELIEVER in Jesus Christ is NOT to seek to become CIRCUMCISED in the FLESH.
1 Corinthians 7:18,19.
“Is any man called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? Let him NOT be CIRCUMCISED.
19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, BUT the keeping of the commandments of God.”
Now here in this passage of Scripture we see a clear DISTINCTION being made between the LAW of Moses contained in ORDINANCES and the COMMANDMENTS of God. In other words, the NEW Testament is teaching us, as Christians, NOT to KEEP the LAW of God concerning being CIRCUMCISED in the FLESH as well as the LAW contained in some 613 ORDINANCES. But RATHER, we are to keep the COMMANDMENTS of God which is speaking of all the MORAL laws of God. So again, Jesus did not come to COMPLETELY ABOLISH the WHOLE LAW, but Jesus did, in fact, ABOLISH and FULFILL some PARTS of the law.
You see there is LAW #1, which is the COMMANDMENTS of God that taught God's people, Israel, right from wrong that is sometimes called the MORAL law. And then there is LAW #2, which is the CEREMONIAL law of offerings and such that covered the sins of God's people when they disobeyed LAW #1 and followed on to obey this LAW #2.
Jesus FULFILLED this part of the law I just referred to as LAW #2, the CEREMONIAL, which were types, figures, and shadows of the true one which was to come. So then, we as BELIEVERS are now CIRCUMCISED by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God in our HEARTS, which was ALSO prophesied in the Old Testament.
Please read Romans 2:29, which says,
“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the HEART, in the spirit, and NOT in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
Then we read in Colossians 2:8-17 where the uncircumcised are circumcised WITHOUT HANDS through our Lord Jesus Christ who has BLOTTED OUT these handwritings of ORDINANCES that were against us and contrary to us.
Colossians 2:8-17.
“BEWARE lest (Or for FEAR THAT) any man (Such as the 119 Ministries or the Hebrew Roots Movement) spoil you through philosophy and VAIN DECEIT, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and NOT after Christ.
9. For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10. And you are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
11. In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made WITHOUT HANDS, IN putting off the body of the sins of the flesh BY the circumcision of Christ (Speaking of being forgiven of all our past sins and being brought into a right relationship into the family of God):
12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you have risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised him from the dead.
13. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your FLESH, has he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14. Blotting out the handwriting of ORDINANCES that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. (THEREFORE)
16. Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
17. Which are a SHADOW of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
I want you to read Colossians 2:16,17 from several other translations, which make it blatantly clear that we as Christians are NOT to let any man CONDEMN us for NOT observing the annual feast days, for NOT keeping the monthly festivals and for NOT honoring the weekly Sabbath days.
Here is Col. 2:1,17 from the New International Version (NIV)
“Therefore do NOT let anyone judge you by what you EAT or DRINK, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration, or a SABBATH DAY.
17. These are a SHADOW of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found IN Christ.”
Here is Colossians 2:16,17 from the Complete Jerusalem Bible (CJB)
“So don't let anyone PASS judgment on you in connection with eating and drinking, or in regard to a Jewish festival or Rosh-Hodesh or Shabbat.
17. These are a SHADOW of things that are coming, but the body is OF the MESSIAH.”
Here is Colossians 2:16,17,18 from the New Living Translation (NLT)
“So don't let anyone CONDEMN you for what you eat or drink, or for NOT celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17. For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.
18. Don't let anyone condemn you by INSISTING on self-denial. And don't let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them PROUD.”
Here is Colossians 2:16,17 from The Message Bible
“So don't put up with anyone pressuring you in DETAILS of DIET, worship services, or holy days.
17. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ.”
Here is Colossians 2:16-23 from the New Century Version (NCV)
“So do NOT let anyone make RULES for you about eating and drinking or about a religious feast (Referring to NOT keeping of the annual feast days), a New Moon Festival (The MONTHLY celebrations), or a Sabbath day (Speaking of NOT keeping the WEEKLY Sabbath day).
17 These things were like a SHADOW of what was to come. But what is TRUE and real HAS COME and is found IN Christ.
18. Do not let anyone disqualify you by making you humiliate yourself and worship angels (Speaking of the DOCTRINES of Devils). Such people enter into visions, which fill them with foolish pride because of their human way of thinking.
19. They do not hold tightly to Christ, the head. It is from him that all the parts of the body are cared for and held together. So it grows in the way God wants it to grow.
20. Since you died with Christ and were made free from the ruling spirits of the world, WHY do you act as if you still belong to this world by following rules like these:
21. "Don't eat this," "Don't taste that," "Don't even touch that thing"?
22. These rules refer to earthly things that are gone as soon as they are used. They are only man-made commands and teachings.
23. They seem to be wise, but they are only part of man-made religion. They make people pretend not to be proud and make them punish their bodies, but they do not really control the evil desires of the sinful self.”
Here is Colossians 2:16,17 from God's Word Translation (GWT)
“Therefore, let no one judge you because of what you EAT or drink OR about the observance of ANNUAL holy days, New Moon Festival, (MONTHLY feasts) or WEEKLY worship days.
17. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body [that casts the shadow] belongs to Christ.”
You can continue to read from many more multiple translations and they all speak the same thing, which is that these ORDINANCES that were against us and that were contrary to us, which no man was able to keep except our Lord Jesus, the CHRIST, was BLOTTED OUT and taken out of our WAY through the death of our Messiah on the cross. In other words, Jesus came to FULFILL the whole law of God including the 613 ordinances in order that the law contained in ORDINANCE could be ABOLISHED or BLOTTED OUT. But this does NOT mean that Jesus also ABOLISHED the COMMANDMENTS of God. Jesus did NOT come to “KATALYO” which means to COMPLETELY abolish the law.
Now I know that the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement TRIES to explain away this TRUTH away by saying that Colossians 2:14 is speaking of ONLY the blotting out of our past SINS and has NOTHING whatsoever to do with ABOLISHING the LAW. They give a human illustration of when a governor PARDONING a prisoner, he does NOT ABOLISH the LAW itself, but rather merely forgives the CRIME of the one who transgressed the law. The law itself remains in FORCE.
Again, we cannot always give human examples to relate to SPIRITUAL things. I agree that all our past sins were indeed BLOTTED OUT. But ALSO there is no denying that SOME of the LAWS of God were INDEED blotted out as well. No true born again believer can deny that Jesus ABOLISHED the LAW of God pertaining to animal sacrifices for the covering of SINS. It is FOOLISHNESS to say that at the first coming of Jesus that NONE of the LAW of God was ABOLISHED by the cross of Jesus. We have learned in this study of God's word that Jesus did not come to “KAYTALY” which means to COMPLETELY destroy the WHOLE law of God.
So YES, the COMMANDMENTS of God were NOT abolished at the cross, but rather that ceremonial law to cover the CRIME was abolished. Sort of like when the governor pardoned the criminal he no longer had to be YOKED behind bars. The YOKE was taken away but the law still remained in force. Therefore, if he broke the commandments again, then he would be found guilty again and be worthy of punishment again. Unless of course, he went to the governor, that is to say, Almighty God and repented of his sins to once again receive a pardon or stay of execution from the lake of fire on the day of judgment.
The TRUTH of the matter is that the law of God contained in the 613 ORDINANCES was ABOLISHED at the first coming of Jesus. The TRUTH of the matter is that the ANNUAL feast day, the MONTHLY celebration feast days, and the WEEKLY Sabbath days were ALSO ABOLISHED at the first coming of Jesus because these were only SHADOWS, types, figures or a schoolmaster that was leading us TO our savior Jesus Christ. So, once we receive Jesus as our savior, we no longer need these SHADOWS of the TRUE to LEAD us to the TRUE because we have already been led to Jesus or MESSIAH.
Please read Ephesians 2:11-19, which clearly and plainly teaches us that the LAW contained in ORDINANCES was INDEED that enmity that was CONTRARY to us or AGAINST us which was BLOTTED OUT.
Ephesians 2:11-19.
“Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the FLESH made by hands;
12. That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO hope, and without God in the world:
13. But now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off are made nigh BY the blood of Christ.
14. For HE is our PEACE (In other words, Jesus is our REST), who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us (Meaning that there is no more Jew or Gentile in the eyes of God concerning those IN Jesus Christ);
15. Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the enmity, EVEN the LAW of commandments contained in ORDINANCES; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace (Giving us REST);
16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having SLAIN the enmity thereby:
17. And came and preached PEACE (Or REST) to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19. Now, therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the HOUSEHOLD of God;”
I do not see how the word of Almighty God can make it any plainer than this. It is the LAW that was contained in ORDINANCES that was CONTRARY to God's people Israel that was ABOLISHED, SLAIN and NAILED to the cross of Jesus thus making a way for BOTH the JEWS and the Gentiles to have access to Almighty God.
Please read Ephesians 2:15 from the New Century Version.
“The Jewish law had many commands and rules, but Christ ENDED that LAW. His purpose was to make the two groups of people become one new people in him and in this way make peace.”
Here is Ephesians 2:15 from God's Word Translation.
“He brought an end to the commandments and demands found in Moses' Teachings so that he could take Jewish and non-Jewish people and create one new humanity in himself. So he made peace.”
Please read Ephesians 2:14-16 from the New International Readers Version, which teaches us that this was God's PLAN all along. Jesus was slain in the mind and plan of God from before the foundation of the world. The law was only a temporary step that was added until God's final plan of FAITH in his Son Jesus should come.
Ephesians 2:14-16.
“Christ himself is our peace. He has made Jews and non-Jews into one group of people. He has destroyed the hatred that was like a wall between us.
15. Through his body on the cross (At his FIRST coming), Christ put an END to the LAW with all its commands and rules. He wanted to create one new group of people out of the two. He wanted to make peace between them.
16. He PLANNED to bring both of them as one body back to God because of the cross. Christ put their hatred to death on that CROSS.”
Here is Ephesians 2:15 from Complete Jerusalem Bible.
“By DESTROYING in his own body the enmity occasioned by the Torah, with its commands set forth in the form of ORDINANCES. He did this in order to create in union with himself from the two groups the single new humanity and thus make shalom,”
You see, Almighty God did not CHANGE his MIND, but rather God FULFILLED what he said that he would do in his word, which was to establish a NEW COVENANT with his people Israel. This GOOD NEWS which was prophesied in the Old Testament, that the prophets of old desired to look into, was FULFILLED in Jesus Christ at the CROSS. Jesus said it is FINISHED and he gave up the ghost.
The word of truth tells us that had the principalities and rulers of darkness KNOWN, then they would NOT have CRUCIFIED the Lord of glory. Almighty God kept his very own LAMB, that would one day be slain, a SECRET from his enemy from the very foundation of the world. God did not CHANGE his MIND, but rather God ACCOMPLISHED what he SAID he would do in his word HIDDEN in SHADOWS and the CEREMONIES of the LAW, which were ABOLISHED at the cross because there is no longer a NEED for them to LEAD us to our savior Jesus Christ.
The word of TRUTH teaches us that the LAW was just a SCHOOLMASTER that was pointing us to Jesus Christ, but ONCE the promise of his coming was fulfilled, then there was no longer a need to keep these ceremonial laws contained in ORDINANCES, which were added only UNTIL the seed should COME. Please read Galatians 3:1-29, which clearly and plainly teaches us that the law contained in carnal ordinances was ADDED because of the transgression of the law of the COMMANDMENTS of God only UNTIL the promised prophesied seed of the MESSIAH should come.
Galatians 3:1-29.
“O foolish Galatians, who has BEWITCHED (Or who has DECEIVED) you, that you should NOT obey the TRUTH, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2. This only would I learn of you, Received you the SPIRIT by the works of the LAW, or by the hearing of FAITH?
3. Are you so foolish? Having BEGUN in the SPIRIT, are you now made perfect by the flesh?
4. Have you suffered so many things in VAIN? If it is yet in vain.
5. He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Some seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians try and explain away the teachings of Paul claiming that he is not talking about the LAW of Moses. But if they are honest with themselves and with God then anyone truly seeking the TRUTH can clearly see that Paul is indeed talking to the Gentile believers in Galatia about being DECEIVED by those subverting them to keep the LAW of Moses)
6. Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7. Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through FAITH, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed.
9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10. For as many as are of the works of the LAW are under the CURSE: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in ALL things which are written in the book of the LAW to do them.
11. But that NO man is justified by the LAW in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12. And the law is NOT of FAITH: but, The man that does them shall live in them.
13. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:
14. That (Or so that, or in order that) the blessing of Abraham might come on the GENTILES through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through FAITH.
15. Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; (Then they try and use these words to claim that everything Paul says is his OWN OPINION. But that is not what Paul is saying here. It is ONLY what Paul is getting ready to say in this verse that he is COMPARING a covenant between men to be the SAME as a covenant between God and men) Though it is but a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no man disannuls or adds thereunto. (And the SAME is true with God and man. God prophesied a NEW Covenant because the children of Israel kept BREAKING the Old Covenant. God knew his enemy would tempt Israel to disobey him so God FIRST made a covenant of PROMISE to Abraham some four hundred years BEFORE the Law of Moses was added.)
16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He says not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ.
17. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18. For IF the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
19. Wherefore (Or for what REASON WHY) then SERVE the law? It was ADDED because of transgressions, TILL the seed should come to whom the promise was made (And that seed was JESUS); and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
20. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for IF there had been a law given which could have given LIFE, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
22. BUT the Scripture has concluded all under sin, that (Or so that or in order that) the promise by FAITH of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23. But BEFORE faith came, we (Speaking of only the children of Israel) were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.
24. Wherefore (Or for this very reason of the law being added UNTIL Christ came) the LAW was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by FAITH.
25. But AFTER that FAITH is come, we are NO LONGER UNDER a schoolmaster.
26. For you are all the children of God by FAITH in Christ Jesus.
27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29. And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
The Law of Moses was a SCHOOLMASTER to them in the Old Testament time that was teaching them by TYPES, FIGURES, and SHADOWS about the coming Messiah. Then, AFTER the coming of Jesus and he DIED for their SINS, then there is NO MORE NEED to be under the schoolmaster to be TAUGHT about Jesus. For you see, those who have already BELIEVED understand that these were just SHADOWS and figures of that which was to COME. Paul is teaching the Gentile Christians as well as the Jewish Christians that salvation does NOT come by obeying the Law of Moses. Paul is teaching us that the Law of Moses POINTS to Jesus.
You know or understand that in school when we were taught how to divide we used to have to write out each step so that we could easily see how to arrive at the true answer. But AFTER we learned how to divide we were no longer required to write out the whole math problem down on a piece of paper to prove how we arrived at the true answer. For example, the keeping of the weekly Sabbath was given as a SIGN pointing to Jesus. And the reason that such a SEVERE punishment of being stoned to death was given for breaking the weekly Sabbath was a SHADOW pointing to the TRUTH. And that truth is that everyone who does NOT keep the TRUE Sabbath rest to be found resting IN Jesus will be CUT OFF. It is no light matter to REJECT Jesus as your Savior. And to NOT trust the true Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same as rejecting the power of the cross to save you. And by ADDING the Old Testament to the New Testament you are not truly trusting in the New Covenant as your salvation. Please read the studies “THE SABBATH REST IS A SIGN!” and “IS JESUS IS OUR SABBATH REST?”
God knows our hearts and it is upon our hearts that God now writes his laws and leads us by his Holy Spirit.
Again, most Christians understand and know this truth, but there are some Christians being led away from the TRUTH of the gospel by the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement to keep the WHOLE law contained in some 613 ORDINANCES written in the Old Testament.
Most Christians know that God has written on their heart to OBEY all of the MORAL COMMANDMENTS. And most Christians understand the DIFFERENCE between the law contained in ORDINANCES and the MORAL COMMANDMENTS of God. But where I believe the problem begins is when Christians question why the church worships God on SUNDAY rather than on SATURDAY, the 7th day of the week. They begin to reason in themselves, why the church keeps only NINE of the TEN commandments not understanding that Jesus is our REST. Please read the study “ONLY NINE of the TEN COMMANDMENTS?”, but for now please read Matthew 11:28-30, which teaches us that when we believe upon Jesus we EXCHANGE the YOKE of the OLD covenant with the YOKE of Jesus whereby we enter into REST.
Matthew 11:28-30.
“Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you REST. (Jesus is talking to the JEWS or the children of Israel who were under the Law of Moses)
29. Take my YOKE upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find REST unto your souls.
30. FOR (Or BECAUSE) my YOKE is EASY, and my burden is light.”
The YOKE of the OLD covenant was heavy and unable to be borne without the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the only man to ever keep ALL the law of God and to do ALL his will so that he was without sin before God.
Please read Acts 15:10.
“Now therefore why tempt you God, to put a YOKE upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”
Peter is talking to the Jewish Christians. Peter AND Jesus call the Law of Moses a YOKE that is heavy, burdensome, and hard to bear. And Seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians are TEMPTING God by wrongly teaching that Christians must keep the Law of Moses in order to be more pleasing to God.
The law contained in ordinances written in the Old Testament is called a YOKE of BONDAGE in the New Testament. Please read Galatians 5:1-9, which clearly and plainly teaches us that a LITTLE leaven or a LITTLE ERROR of FALSE teaching will lead to more and more error until the whole teaching is FALSE. In other words, I believe that the 119 Ministries and the Hebrew Roots Movement, as well as all the Sabbath-keeping sects, began to leaven the whole lump when they began to IMPOSE the keeping of the Sabbath as an ADDITION to FAITH in order to be justified. This little leaven of deception, that worshiping God on SUNDAY, was not pleasing to God simply because Sunday is not the 7th day of the week. The commandment of God is simple; work six days then REST one day, work six more days, then REST one day, and so forth. It is not so much as being a specific day of the week as it is for us to observe one day of REST and that we set aside one day a week to come together and worship God. It is the SPIRIT of the law that we are taught in the New Testament to keep and NOT the OLDNESS of the LETTER of the law. The LETTER of the law is a yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:1-9.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be NOT ENTANGLED again with the YOKE of BONDAGE.
2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you NOTHING.
3. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the WHOLE law.
4. Christ is become of NO effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the LAW; you are FALLEN from grace.
5. For we, through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.
7. You did run well (UNTIL you began to keep the Law of Moses contained in ordinances that Jesus nailed to the cross); WHO did HINDER you that you should NOT OBEY the TRUTH? (Is it the 119 Ministries, the Hebrew Roots Movement, the Seventh Day Adventists? Which one of the seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping group is HINDERING you to NOT OBEY the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ? Come out from among them and return to the TRUTH)
8. This persuasion (Of keeping the Law of Moses to be more pleasing to God) comes NOT of him that calls you.
9. A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
In other words, just that one little questioning of WHY does the church NOT keep the WEEKLY Sabbath has caused some Christians to become subverted to keep all the Law of Moses including the dietary laws written under the Old Covenant. Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man, not that man was made for the Sabbath.
Please read Mark 2:23-28.
“And it came to pass, that he (Jesus) went through the corn fields ON the SABBATH day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they ON the SABBATH day that which is NOT LAWFUL?
25. And he said unto them, Have you never read what David did, when he had a need, and was hungry, he, and they that were with him?
26. How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is NOT LAWFUL to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
27. And he said unto them, The SABBATH was made FOR man, and NOT man FOR the SABBATH:
28. THEREFORE (Or for this very reason) the Son of man is Lord ALSO of the SABBATH.”
Jesus has become the Lord ALSO of the SABBATH to become our REST. When we BELIEVE upon Jesus as our savior we do ENTER into his REST as Hebrews 3:7-19 and Hebrews 4:1-11 teaches us.
Hebrews 3:7-19.
“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost says, Today if you will hear his voice, (Meaning that TODAY is the day of salvation. So do NOT look to the PAST, speaking of the OLD COVENANT, as your means of obtaining salvation)
8. Harden, not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw MY WORKS forty years. (The whole plan of God all along is for HIM to be our Savior. And he has provided the Son of man, Jesus, to be the means of saving whosever BELIEVES in Jesus)
10. Wherefore (Or for this reason) I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
11. So I swore in my wrath, They shall NOT enter into my REST.)
12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14. FOR (Or because) we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
15. While it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned (Because they did not BELIEVE God to go and POSSESS the land is how they sinned They witnessed all the mighty WORKS of God's provision and deliverance, yet because of the UNBELIEF they did not enter into God REST), whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?
18. And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his REST, but to them that believed not?
19. So we see that they could not enter in (The PROMISE of God's REST) because of unbelief.”
You see, the children of Israel did NOT BELIEVE that they could be able to come and enter into the REST of the promised land because of the giants in the land. They SAW the WORKS of God delivering them from the BONDAGE of Egypt. But then they fell into disbelief to enter into REST of the land flowing with milk and honey. So BECAUSE of their UNBELIEF, their carcasses fell in the wilderness. Then after all the adults 21 and old DIED then the younger generation was not held accountable for the SIN of UNBELIEF.
Now let us continue reading the next chapter in Hebrews 4:1-11.
“1. Let us, therefore, fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his REST, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2. For (Or for you see) unto us was the gospel (Or GOOD NEWS of ENTERING into his REST was) preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3. For we which HAVE BELIEVED do enter into REST (Meaning that some who are hearing this good news have not yet truly believed to entered into RESTING IN Jesus as their TRUE Sabbath REST), as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath if they shall enter into my REST: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world (Speaking of the LAMB of God was already SLAIN from the foundation of the world).
4. For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did REST the seventh day from all his works. (Please understand that God PROPHESIED to rest on the Seventh-day speaking of the yet future 1000 year long Seventh-day which is the Millennium, the 1000 year reign of Jesus as the Lord of the SABBATH rest of Yahweh. Please read the LITERAL translation of Genesis 2:1-3 which is yet FUTURE. God has not rested a single day since the creation of man. God is still yet working every day to conform us into the image of his dear Son, Jesus)
5. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my REST.
6. Seeing, therefore, it remains that SOME must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7. Again, he limits a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8. For if Jesus had given them REST, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (Can you not see, that the children of Israel who keep the Law of Moses will NOT receive eternal life AT the coming of Jesus? It is ONLY those of us who are RESTING in Jesus to take HIS yoke of obeying the MORAL laws of God by walking in LOVE who will be rewarded with eternal life at his coming! You are FALLEN from GRACE if you are keeping the Law of Moses for fear of sinning and not PLEASING God. God is WELL PLEASED with what Jesus did for him. And obeying the law of Moses proves to God that you do NOT TRUST in Jesus to be your Savior.)
9. There remains, therefore, a REST to the people of God (Speaking of those who have not yet BELIEVED that Jesus is the Messiah).
10. For he that IS ENTERED into his REST, he ALSO has ceased from his OWN WORKS, as God did from his.
11. Let us labor, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”
In this last verse 11, where it says, let us LABOR, therefore, to enter into that rest, it is speaking of two things. ONE the writer is preaching this message to others who have NOT BELIEVED upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ so that they would labor to enter into that REST by FAITH as opposed to their OWN works of righteousness. And TWO, we who have ALREADY BELIEVED and have ENTERED into his REST, labor, or work to enter into the final rest in the world to come where we actually receive our reward of ETERNAL LIFE. However, our labor of love is NOT being done in our OWN strength. It is not us who are actually doing the WORK, but rather it is CHRIST or the ANOINTING of the Holy Spirit in us that is doing these good WORKS of RIGHTEOUSNESS, otherwise, there would be BOASTING.
Again, the word SABBATH is only found 55 times in the New Testament in the King James Version of the Bible. And of these 55 times, 45 of which are found in the four Gospels. The remaining 10 times are found in the book of Acts and Colossians 2:16. In Colossians 2:16 we are taught not to let others JUDGE or condemn us for NOT keeping the weekly SABBATH. And in NONE of the other nine times in the book of Acts do we find anywhere that we as Christians are commanded to keep the SABBATH.
But what we do find taught in the New Testament is that only NINE of the ten commandments are REPEATED and taught to be kept. And we also see that the early church observes the Lord's Day to assemble.
#1. We see that the church broke bread and drank from the cup of wine, or partook of communion, the Lord's Supper, on the FIRST day of the week, which was SUNDAY.
Please read Acts 20:6,7.
“And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
7. And upon the FIRST DAY of the week, when the disciples CAME TOGETHER to BREAK BREAD, Paul PREACHED unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”
Please notice that they were there SEVEN days and yet there is absolutely NO mention of the disciples assembling together on SATURDAY, the 7th day of the week. But rather it was the FIRST day of the week that the early church assembled together to hear the preaching of the word of God and to observe communion. Now, one could try and argue that they were keeping the seven days of unleavened bread. But in truth, the mention of the seven days of unleavened bread is merely showing the time of the year and that the FIRST DAY of the week was NOT on the weekly Sabbath day. The literal Greek says the first of Sabbath. This means this FIRST day AFTER the weekly Sabbath. The seven days of unleavened bread began and ended on the weekly Sabbath day. And the mention of the seven days of unleavened bread does not prove that the disciples of Jesus were keeping the Law of Moses. Again, the mention of the seven days of unleavened bread proves that the FIRST day of the week is NOT the weekly Sabbath day. And the FIRST day of the week is the day that the early church assembled together for the breaking of bread or the taking of communion.
#2. The church itself BEGAN on a SUNDAY the FIRST day of the week. Please read Leviticus 23:15-21, which clearly and plainly teaches us that the day of PENTECOST always would fall on the day AFTER the SABBATH day on the 50th day.
Leviticus 23:15-21.
“And you shall COUNT unto you from the morrow AFTER the Sabbath (in other words, the day AFTER Saturday is SUNDAY), from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: (Or seven Saturdays shall pass)
16. Even unto the morrow AFTER the seventh Sabbath shall you number FIFTY DAYS; (Which is the day of PENTECOST the feast of the FIRSTFRUITS) and you shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
17. You shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the FIRSTFRUITS unto the LORD.
18. And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.
19. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
20. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the FIRSTFRUITS for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
21. And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be a holy convocation unto you: you shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.”
Now please read Acts 2:1-4, which clearly and plainly teaches us that the church BEGAN on the day of PENTECOST by being FILLED with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them the utterance. You can read the entire New Testament and you will not find one word where the early church kept Leviticus chapter 23. The disciples were not baking bread to offer God nor any of the other things described in Leviticus chapter 23, but rather they were all in one accord praying and waiting to be endued with POWER from on high as Jesus had commanded them.
Acts 2:1-4.
“And when the DAY of PENTECOST was FULLY COME, (And according to Leviticus 23, the day of Pentecost fully came on the FIRST day of the week, the day AFTER the seventh Sabbath day) they were all with one accord in one place.
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4. And they were all FILLED with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
#3. Jesus rose from the grave AFTER the THIRD day, as he told his disciples that he would in Mark 8:31 and ON the FIRST day of the week before sunrise. Please also read Matthew 28:1-7 which clearly and plainly teaches us that the SABBATH had ENDED before Jesus had risen from the grave, And then John 20:1, which clearly and plainly teaches us that Jesus had risen for the grave before sunrise on the FIRST day of the week.
Mark 8:23.
“And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and AFTER three days rise again.”
Matthew 28:1-7.
“In the END of the sabbath, as it BEGAN to dawn toward the FIRST day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher.
2. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4. And for fear of him, the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not you: for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said (AFTER THREE DAYS). Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goes before you into Galilee; there shall you see him: lo, I have told you.”
John 20:1.
“The FIRST day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and sees the stone taken away from the sepulcher.”
Please keep in mind that God's recognizing of days is establish in Genesis chapter 1 where each new day BEGAN at EVENING and NOT in the MORNING or at midnight like we do here in the west. Therefore the Sabbath BEGAN at sunset of FRIDAY EVENING and ENDED on SATURDAY EVENING. It was BETWEEN Saturday EVENING and BEFORE SUNRISE on SUNDAY MORNING the Jesus rose from the grave. The FIRST day of the week BEGAN at SUNSET on SATURDAY EVENING.
Jesus was crucified on Wednesday and was laid in the tomb right before SUNSET on WEDNESDAY EVENING, which was the beginning of a HIGH Sabbath day. So from Wednesday evening to Thursday evening was 1 night and 1 day in the grave. Then from Thursday evening to Friday evening was 2 nights and 2 days in the grave. Then from Friday evening to Saturday evening, which would be the END of the WEEKLY Sabbath was 3 nights and 3 days for Jesus to be in the grave. Then BETWEEN that Saturday EVENING AFTER SUNSET, which would be the START of the FIRST day of the week and BEFORE the SUNRISE on this FIRST day of the week Jesus rose from the grave AFTER being in the grave three full days and three full nights just like he said he would.
#4. Jesus appeared to his disciples on the FIRST day of the week, which was SUNDAY and commissioned then to preach the gospel.
Please read John 20:19-23.
“Then the SAME day at evening, being the FIRST day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
20. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so, send I you.
22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost:
23. Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained.”
#5. Peter preaches the first sermon on the FIRST day of the week and 3000 souls are added to the church. Please read Acts 2:14-41 on your own.
#6. These new believers were also baptized on the FIRST day of the week.
Acts 2:41.
“Then they that gladly received his word were BAPTIZED: and the SAME day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
#7. Paul instructs the church to take up a collection and have it ready on the FIRST day of the week when he comes to preach the gospel.
Please read 1 Corinthians 16:1,2.
“Now concerning the collection for the saints, AS I have GIVEN order to the CHURCHES of Galatia, even so, do you.
2. Upon the FIRST day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him, that (Or so that) there be NO gatherings (Speaking of the gatherings of offerings) when I come.”
It would seem that Paul was coming on the FIRST day of the week and Paul wanted the collection for the saints in Jerusalem to already be ready when he gets there. The point is that there is NO mention of the early church gathering together to worship God on a SATURDAY the 7th day of the week, but we do however find several times that the FIRST day of the week is spoken of as to when the church assembled together to observe communion and the breaking of bread. BUT there is evidence that the church WORKED ON the seventh day of the week to GATHER together the COLLECTIONS to be given to the churches in need. Keep in mind that this passage of Scripture says on the morrow or have it ready by tomorrow when Paul comes. And Paul came to preach on the FIRST day after the weekly Sabbath.
#8. The apostle John speaks of being caught up in the SPIRIT on the LORD'S DAY. Now, while there is no positive, without a doubt proof, in that particular passage of scripture in the book of Revelation that the Lord's day was the FIRST day of the week, we do know, without a doubt, that John did, in fact, know which day was the SABBATH day. And yet he chose to call this day the LORD'S DAY as opposed to calling it the Sabbath day. And that fact alone proves to me that the Lord’s Day is the FIRST day of the week and NOT the Sabbath day.
We have already established that the Lord rose AFTER three days which was ON the FIRST day of the week. Therefore, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that the LORD'S DAY was on SUNDAY the FIRST day of the week.
#9. The early writers of our church fathers wrote long BEFORE the Catholic Church came into power of worshiping God on the FIRST day of the week. Here are a few accounts that I came across doing my research on this subject of keeping the weekly Sabbath day or not keeping the seventh day of the week as the Jews.
Barnabas (+/- 100), Epistle, Chapter 15
"Wherefore, also, we keep the 8th day with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead."
Justin Martyr (110-165)
Apology, Chapter 67 - "And on that day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place. ... Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead."
In the Dialogue of Justin Martyr with Trypho the Jew, Trypho writes: "But this is what we are most at a loss about: that you, professing to be pious, and supposing yourselves better than others, are not in any particular separated from them, and do not alter your mode of living from the nations, in that you observe no festivals or sabbaths, and do not have the rite of circumcision" (Chapter 10).
To this Justin replies: "The new law requires you to keep perpetual sabbath, and you, because you are idle for one day, suppose you are pious, not discerning why this has been commanded you" (Chapter 12).
Tertullian (145-220)
Against Marcian, Book 5, Chapter 19, verses 16,17.
"Now tell me, Marcian, what is your opinion of the apostle's language, when he says, 'Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath, which is a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ.' We do not now treat the law, further than (to remark) that the apostle here teaches clearly how it has been abolished, even by passing from shadow to substance -- that is, from figurative types to the reality, which is Christ."
Bardesanes (154-227)
"And what shall we say of the new race of us Christians, whom Christ at His advent planted in every country and in every region? for, lo! wherever we are, we are all called after the one name of Christ -- Christians. On one day, the first of the week, we assemble ourselves together."
Ignatius wrote in the early 100's A.D., describing Christians with a Jewish background as those who “have come to the possession of a new hope, no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him and by His death” (Magnesians 9 ) [Editor's note: Magnesians is a letter written to the church at Magnesia by Ignatius, a church father, also called Theophorus.]
So then, from the books of Acts to this present day the church has assembled together on SUNDAY the FIRST day of the week to worship and praise God. Sunday has always been the LORD'S DAY, the day in which our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave. The Sabbath day was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ on the CROSS when he laid down his life for us becoming our REST that we enter into through FAITH. Please read the study “IS JESUS OUR SABBATH REST?”
So then, the only part of the law that Jesus did NOT ABOLISH or did NOT FULFILL for us was NINE of the Ten Commandments, which we are INDEED taught to KEEP in the NEW Testament. But always keep in mind that we do not keep the moral commandments in our OWN strength. It is only by our FAITH in the promise of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to keep the moral laws of God. We cannot LOVE our enemies without the power of God dwelling in us.
So again, I myself find ONLY NINE of the TEN COMMANDMENTS repeated in the NEW Testament. Here are the passages of scripture where the NINE commandments are repeated and we are taught to keep them.
Commandment #1. You shall have no other gods before Me. (1Corinthinans 8:4 and Acts 14:15)
Commandment #2. You shall not make idols. (Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 1:22,23, and 1John 5:21)
Commandment #3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. (James 5:1-12. The true meaning of taking the Lord’s NAME in vain is to DENY Jesus as the Messiah. So unbelief in Jesus as your savior is taking the Lord’s name in VAIN. Please read the study “WHAT DOES TAKING THE LORD’S NAME IN VAIN MEAN?” )
Commandment #4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (NOT FOUND anywhere repeated in the New Testament under the New Covenant)
Commandment #5. Honor your father and your mother. (Ephesians 6:2,3)
Commandment #6. You shall not murder. (Romans 13:8-10)
Commandment #7. You shall not commit adultery. (Romans 13:8-10 and 1 Corinthians 6:9,10)
Commandment #8. You shall not steal. (Romans 13:8-10 and Ephesians 4:28)
Commandment #9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Revelation 21:8, 22:15 and Colossians 3:9)
Commandment #10. You shall not covet. (Romans 13:8-10 and Ephesians 5:3)
Again, please read the study called “ONLY NINE of the TEN COMMANDMENTS?” for a deeper understanding of why the keeping of the WEEKLY Sabbath day is no longer kept by the church and WHY Sunday has become the day set aside to gather together and worship God. Also, I might add that some Sabbath-keepers FALSELY teach that it is a SIN to worship God on SUNDAY. Some Sabbath-keepers even go so far as to FALSELY teach that Christians who worship God on SUNDAYS are taking the MARK of the BEAST. As far as I know, it is only the Seven Day Adventist Sabbath-keepers who wrongly teaching that it is a sin to worship God on Sunday. But all Sabbath-keepers feel that it is a SIN to not keep the weekly Sabbath day specifically on the seventh day of the week.
If any of these teachings were true then Almighty God would not answer the prayers of these so-called SINNERS to HEAL the SICK on SUNDAY. But I am here to ASSURE you my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ that I have personally witnessed Almighty God answering the prayers of many believers on SUNDAY to heal the sick and to be FILLED with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance.
Therefore, I conclude by affirming that the Sabbath-keepers, the 119 Ministries, and the Hebrew Roots Movement are FALSELY teaching Christians to live as the JEWS lived UNDER the LAW contained in ORDINANCES to whom the early church gave NO SUCH COMMANDMENT.
Please read Acts chapter 15 on your own to understand that the CONTEXT of verse 24 is speaking about keeping the WHOLE Law of Moses which the church gave NO such commandment, teaching, or instruction to keep.
Acts 15:24.
“Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, [You must] be circumcised, AND keep the law: to whom we gave no [such] commandment:”
Jesus said come unto me all you that are heavy laden and he will give you REST. WHY then serve you the LAW contained in ORDINANCE when the New Testament clearly teaches us that we are to serve God in RIGHTEOUSNESS speaking to obey the MORAL laws of God.
All that Almighty God requires of you is to OBEY his Holy Spirit one step at a time. Read the passages of scripture where the nine MORAL commandments are repeated. And then, through the power of the Holy Spirit and the promises in God's word, strive to OBEY these MORAL commands. And if you fall, confess your sins and begin again. Almighty God is always faithful to forgive us of our sins if we ask in faith.
May God grant you PEACE knowing that you are doing his will. Grow in God's grace and may he bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of God.
This study was just the TIP of the iceberg of exposing the ERRORS of interpretation made by the Saturday seventh day of the week Sabbath-keeping churches, and the Sunday first day of the week Sabbath-keeping Christians.
All of the studies listed below can be sent to a brother or sister caught up in the Hebrew Roots Movement or a Sabbath-keeping church by sending them this one link **Dd-0. What Is the TRUE SABBATH?**
Also read Dd-20. Did the EARLY Church KEEP the WEEKLY Sabbath DAY?
Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
Once Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even atheists understand the REASON that Yahweh CREATED the Son of MAN, Jesus, was to have DOMINION over the work of Yahweh’s hands.
And after you understand that the REASON that Yahweh did that is to STILL His ENEMIES, Satan and the fallen angels.
Then you can understand that God made His human Son to become “a” Lord, “a” King, and “a” God, under and subject to his God and Father in order to JUDGE Satan and the fallen angels.
For a deeper understanding of this WAR that Lucifer and one third of the angels waged against the throne of Almighty God, please read the studies under the subject category called ** Q-0 Why Are We Here? Is God at WAR? **.
More studies are coming in this SHORTER Biblical Unitarian view of who Jesus is according to the WHOLE word of God.
If you have a PARTICULAR verse of Scripture that you would like to know the sound Biblical Unitarian meaning, then please email me at MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail.com and let me know.
For further and more in-depth studies on this subject of Jesus being created to STILL the enemies of Yahweh, please read the studies called D-25. A NEW LOOK at JOHN 1:1-In the BEGINNING, and D-28. The PRE-ADAMIC LUCIFERIAN FLOOD!
At the top of my homepage, there are subjects or categories which contain compiled lists of ** ALL Studies ** I have written on that particular subject. So, if a link within a study is broken, then click on ** ALL Studies ** to find the suggested study.
Or you can scroll down to the MORE dropdown menu list to find those studies as well.
Thanks again for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus.
And again, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading ** D-0 The BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of Jesus! **
And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading ** C-0 The TRUE FOUNDATION of the Church! **
This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century.
So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to:
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Also, here the MASTER Menu List of my 8 NEW BOOKS with LINKS to all of the chapters in those eight new books.
Always be faithful to share, to preach, and to teach the whole gospel of Jesus Christ!
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